Will the Stanley Cup final feature dark horses and unlikely sources putting up the most goals and points, or will an NHL star shine under the brightest spotlight? Gary Pearson makes his predictions.
Nikolaj Ehlers notched the most points in the Eastern Conference final (5), while a staggering 10 players tied for the most points (3) in the Western Conference final.
Gabriel Landeskog and Eric Robinson scored the most goals (3) in the Western and Eastern Conference finals, respectively, neither of whom were expected to summit the table.
Will the Stanley Cup final feature more dark horses and slightly unlikely sources, or will headliners, such as Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel and Sebastian Aho, rise to prominence?
Stanley Cup Final Most Points: Taylor Hall
The idea of Taylor Hall scoring the most points in the Stanley Cup final isn't as far-fetched as the hockey odds at the BetMGM sportsbook lead you to believe.
His +2200 odds, carrying a 4.35 percent probability, have him tied for ninth on the odds leaderboard, but I've been uber impressed by how he has acquitted himself throughout the post-season.
After 16 seasons in the NHL and no Stanley Cup final appearances, I believe his time has finally come.
Hall is among the Conn Smythe Trophy contenders, thanks to his line running roughshod over almost everyone for the lion's share of the playoffs.
He wasn't at his best in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference final, held to no points. But who can blame him after 11 days off, which, by the way, is more than the average allotment of yearly holiday days for those residing in the United States.
Hall, Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven recaptured their best form against the Montreal Canadiens in Games 3 through 5. While Hall didn't register a point in Game 4, his linemates did, and he had several opportunities to follow suit.
He capped off that series by dominating in the Game 5 clincher, scoring three points. Hall has 16 points in 13 playoff games, averaging 1.23 per game, the second-most behind Mitch Marner's 1.31 among players left in the playoffs.
In addition, it should be a tight-checking, relatively low-scoring series, with time and space at a premium. I doubt anyone will light up the scoreboard, another reason I like Hall to prevail.
Brett Howden is tied for the league lead in goal-scoring. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)Stanley Cup Final Most Goals: Brett Howden
Another player way down on the odds leaderboard, this time for the most goals, is Brett Howden.
It feels like it will be Stanley Cup final tailor-fit for Howden, who has a knack for finding space when there doesn't seem to be any available.
The Golden Knights are facing one of the stingiest defensive teams in modern playoff history, which has allowed more than two goals once in 13 games.
It's the type of scenario that will likely require a workmanlike effort, won or lost in the trenches. While that typifies Howden's game, he also has the complementary skill to finish.
He has 10 goals in 16 games, tied for the playoff lead with teammate Pavel Dorofeyev. Three of his 10 goals are game-winners, another facet that has compelled me to back the 28-year-old.
I also love the fact that he's playing on the same line as Marner, benefitting from receiving pinpoint passes from one of the world's best setup men.
And then there's the fact that he has seven even-strength and three shorthanded goals. Despite getting ice time on the second power-play unit, he hasn't scored with the man advantage.
That could change in the final.
By Gary Pearson, BetMGM